Ben Sidran – Jews, Music & The American Dream

Well known musician and historian Ben Sidran presents his comprehensive social history of Jewish contributions to American popular music in the twentieth century There Was A Fire: Jews, Music and the American Dream. Ben Sidran is widely recognized as the host of National Public Radio’s landmark jazz series “Jazz Alive”, which received a Peabody Award, and as the host of VH-1 television’s “New Visions” series, which received the Ace Award for best music series. A pianist, producer, singer and composer, he has recorded more than thirty solo albums, including the Grammy nominated Concert for Garcia Lorca. Sidran uses his first person experience to frame the story behind the story of Jews in American popular music.